Compact disc packaging system

Abstract

A compact disc package includes a protective envelope for receiving a compact disc and a protective jacket having a pouch for receiving the protective envelope with the compact disc therein, the protective envelope having a pocket with a depth less than one-half the diameter of the compact disc for retaining the compact disc within the pocket with a major portion of the compact disc and a major portion of the central aperture of the compact disc exposed for grasping, when the protective envelope is opened, and a tapered envelope portion for facilitating insertion of the protective envelope into the pouch of the protective jacket, when the protective envelope is closed, the protective jacket further including a plurality of panels arranged for folding to retain the protective envelope, with the compact disc therein, securely within the protective jacket.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A protective envelope for use in a packaging system for the transportation and storage of a compact disc having a central aperture and a predetermined diameter, the protective envelope comprising: a back sheet having a bottom edge, a top edge, a length extending longitudinally between the bottom edge and the top edge, opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges, the length and width each corresponding essentially to the predetermined diameter of the compact disc;   an intermediate sheet having a bottom edge and being integral with the back sheet along the respective bottome dges of the back sheet and the intermediate sheet, the intermediate sheet extending laterally across the back sheet from adjacent one of the opposite side edges to adjacent the other of the opposite side edges to establish a pocket between the back sheet and the intermediate sheet, the intermediate sheet including a top edge and a length extending longitudinally between the top edge and the bottom edge of the intermediate sheet, the length of the intermediate sheet, all along the width fo the intermediate sheet, being less than one-half the predetermined diameter of the compact disc such that the pocket includes an opening at the top edge of the intermediate sheet and a longitudinal depth between the bottom edge of the intermediate sheet and the opening less than one-half the predetermined diameter of the compact disc so as to maintain at least a major portion of the compact disc and at least a major portion of the central aperture of the compact disc outside the pocket and thereby exposed for grasping when the compact disc is seated in the pocket; and   a front sheet having a top edge and being integral with the back sheet along the respective top edges of the front sheet and the back sheet, the front sheet having opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges such that upon folding the front sheet into juxtaposition with the back sheet, the respective opposite side edges of the front sheet and of the back sheet will be juxtaposed, the front sheet further having a length extending longitudinally from the top edge a distance greater than one-half the diameter of the compact disc so as to overlap the opening of the pocket and enclose the compact disc, when seated in the pocket, between the front sheet and the back sheet;   including a protective jacket within whcih the protective envelope is inserted when the compact disc is placed in the protective envelope; and   the top edge of the back sheet and the top edge of the front sheet each have a lateral extent less than the predetermined diameter of the compact disc; and   the front sheet and the back sheet each include at least one side edge portion extending in a direction laterally inwardly from the width adjacent the opneing of the pocket, corresponding to the predetermined diameter of the compact disc, toward the respective top edges so as to establish an envelope portion tapered from a larger width adjacent the opneing of the pocket, toward a smaller width at the top edges for facilitating insertion of the envelope portion and the protective envelope into the protective jacket.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the front sheet and the back sheet each include opposite side edge portions extending in corresponding opposite directions laterally inwardly so as to establish the tapered envelope portion. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 including gusset sections interconnecting the respective side edge portions of the back sheet and the front sheet, the gusset sections being foldable along the respective side edge portions to maintain the tapered envelope portion when the front sheet is folded into juxtaposition with the back sheet. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1 including gusset sections interconnecting the respective side edge por ions of the back sheet and the front sheet, the gusset sections being foldable along the respective side edge portions to maintain the tapered envelope portion when the front sheet is folded into juxtaposition with the back sheet. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 5 wherein the gusset sections have a generally triangular configuration and fold inwardly over the compac disc to assist in retaining the compact disc in the pocket. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1 including a liner of a material softer than.the back sheet, the liner being affixed to the back sheet so as to be coextensive with a confronting surface of the compact disc when the compact disc is seated in the pocket. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the back sheet, front sheet and intermediate sheet are constructed of a relatively thin, flexible material such as a paper-like polymeric material. 
     
     
       8. A packaging system for the transportation and storage of a compact disc having a central aperture and a predetermined diameter, the packaging system comprising: a protective envelope for receiving the compact disc;   a protective jacket for receiving the protective envelope with the compact disc placed within the envelope;   the protective envelope including   a back sheet having a bottom edge, a top edge, a length extending longitudinally between the bottom edge and the top edge, opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges, the length and width each corresponding essentially to the predetermined diameter of the compact disc;   an intermediate sheet having a bottom edge and being integral with the back sheet along the respective bottom edges of the back sheet and the intermediate sheet, the intermediate sheet extending laterally across the back sheet from adjacent one of the opposite side edges to adjacent the other of the opposite side edges to establish a pocket between the back sheet and the intermediate sheet, the intermediate sheet including a top edge and a length extending longitudinally between the top edge and the bottom edge of the intermediate. sheet, the length of the intermediate sheet, all along the width of the intermediate sheet, being less than one-half the predetermined diameter of the compact disc such that the pocket includes an opening at the top edge of the intermediate sheet and a longitudinal depth between the bottom edge of the intermediate sheet and the opening less than one-half the predetermined diameter of the compact disc so as to maintain at least a major portion of the compact disc and at least a major portion of the central aperture of the compact disc outside the pocket and thereby exposed for grasping when the compact disc is seated in the pocket; and   a front sheet having a top edge and being integral with the back sheet along the respective top edges of the front sheet and the back sheet, the front sheet having opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges such that upon folding the front sheet into juxtaposition with the back sheet, the respective opposite side edges of the front sheet and of the back sheet will be juxtaposed, the front sheet further having a length extending longitudinally from the top edge a distance greater than one-half the diameter of the compact disc so as to overlap the opening of the pocket and enclose the compact disc, when seated in the pocket, between the front sheet and the back sheet;   the protective jacket including   a first panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a length extending longitudinally between the top edge and the bottom edge, opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges;   a second panel having opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges, the second panel being integral with the first panel along corresponding respective side edges of the first and second panels;   a first fold line along said corresponding respective side edges for enabling folding of the first panel into juxtaposition with the second panel, the relative dimensions of the first and second panels being such that upon such juxtaposition of the first and second panels, the corresponding respective opposite side edges of the first and second panels are brought into close proximity with one another;   a third panel having opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges, the third panel being integral with the second panel along corresponding respective side edges of the second and third panels, opposite the corresponding side edges along which the first and second panels are joined; and   a second fold line along said corresponding respective side edges where the third panel is integral with the second panel for enabling folding of the third panel into juxtaposition with the first and second panels, with the first panel interposed between the second and third panels;   the first panel including a pouch having an opening along the side edge of the first panel opposite the first fold line, the relative dimensions of the pouch and the protective envelope being such that the protective envelope may be inserted selectively into the pouch;   whereby upon insertion of the compact disc into the protective envelope and insertion of the protective envelope into the pouch, and subsequently folding the first and third panels into said juxtaposition with the second panel, the opening of the pouch will be secured between the second and third panels, adjacent the second fold line, to close the opening of the pouch and secure the protective envelope, and the compact disc therein, within the protective jacket.   
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 8 wherein: the top edge of the back sheet and the top edge of the front sheet each have a lateral extent less than the predetermined diameter of the compact disc; and   the front sheet and the back sheet each include at least one side edge portion extending in a direction laterally inwardly from the width adjacent the opening of the pocket, corresponding to the predetermined diameter of the compact disc, toward the respective top edges so as to establish an envelope portion tapered from a larger width adjacent the opening of the pocket, toward a smaller width at the top edges for facilitating insertion of the envelope portion and the protective envelope into the protective jacket.   
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 8 wherein the relative dimensions of the first and third panels are such that upon juxtaposition of the first and third panels, the corresponding respective opposite side edges of the first and third panels are brought into close proximity with one another. 
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 8 including a retainer on the second panel, the retainer confronting the first and third panels upon folding of the first and third panels into said juxtaposition with the second panel, said retainer being arranged for accommodating a book of textual material pertaining to the information carried by the compact disc. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 11 wherein the second panel includes a top edge and a bottom edge and the retainer comprises a sleeve extending from the top edge of the second panel to the bottom edge of the second panel, the sleeve having an entrance for receiving at least one page of the book of textual material. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 8 wherein the prorective jacket is constructed to accommodate a further compact disc in a further protective envelope, the protective jacket including: a fourth panel having opposite side edges and a width extending laterally between the opposite side edges, the fourth panel being integral with the third panel along corresponding respective side edges of the third and fourth panels, opposite the corresponding side edges along which the second and third panels are joined, for enabling folding of the fourth panel into juxtaposition with the first, second and third panels, with the fourth panel interposed between the first and third panels;   the fourth panel including a further pouch having an opening along the side edge of the fourth panel opposite the side edge of the fourth panel along which the fourth panel is joined with the third panel, the relative dimensions of the further pouch and the further protective envelope being such that the further protective envelope may be inserted selectively into the pouch;   whereby upon insertion of the further compact disc into the further protective envelope and insertion of the further protective envelope into the further pouch, and subsequently folding the third and fourth panels into said juxtaposition with the first and second panels, the opening of the further pouch will be secured between the second and third panels, at the side edge of the second panel where the second and third panels are joined, to close the opening of the further pouch and secure tne further protective envelope, and the further compact disc therein, within the protective jacket.   
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 13 including a retainer on at least one of the second panel and the third panel, the retainer confronting one of the first panel and fourth panel upon folding of the first and fourth panels into said juxtaposition with the second and third panels, said retainer being arranged for accommodating a book of textual material pertaining to the information carried by the compact discs. 
     
     
       15. The invention of claim 14 wherein the fourth panel includes a top edge and a bottom edge and the retainer comprises a sleeve extending between the top edge of the fourth panel and the bottom edge of the fourth panel, the sleeve having an entrance for receiving at least one page of the book of textural material.